Circuit control device



Nov. 9, 1937. w. BOGUE v CIRCUIT CONTROL DEVICE I Filed May a, 1936 m Imien r I Ell/II r Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claim.

This invention relates to a circuit control device, and moreparticularly to a device adapted for use in connection with an ordinarytelephone for controlling a power circuit independently of the telephonecircuit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means controlled bythe usual telephone receiver hook or support, whereby a radio or otherelectrically operated device may be automatically disconnected from itspower source when the receiver is removed from the hook. and wherein thepower circuit will be automatically closed when the receiver is replacedon the hook.

A further object is the provision of a so-called extension cord having acombined attachment plug and receptacle at one end into which theconnector cap or plug of a radio circuit may be removably inserted. andan automatic switch at the other end of the cord and arranged to beautomatically controlled by the movement of the telephone receiver hookor support.

A.i'urther object is to provide a device of the character describedwhich will be cheap to manuiacture, easy to install, and which will noteasily get out of order.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and the appendedclaims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the usual desk 30 telephone having thecontrol switch attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section through the control switchillustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the combined attachmentplug cap and receptacle used on the extension cord.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line substantially correspondingto line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit and connectionsarranged for controlling a radio set or other electrically operateddevice.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation oi a so-called cradle telephone having acontrol switch attached thereto.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating a preferred form of switchplunger arranged to be removably positioned for operation by a telephonehook.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the switch and illustrates the method ofattachment by means of a vacuum cup. I

Referring to the drawing in detail, the embodiment illustrated in Figs.1 to 5, inclusive, comprises an ordinary desk telephone i having theusual transmitter supporting column 2 and re ceiver hock 3, on whichlatter is removably supported a receiver 4. A control switch 5, which ispreferably cyl ndrical, as illustrated, is positioned below the hook 3and clamped to the column 2 by means of a suitable clamping member 6 andsecuring screw T.

The switch is illustrated in detail in Fig. 2 and preferably comprises acylindrical shell 8 of insulating material having a metallic sleeve 9therein. The lower end of the sleeve 9 is closed by means of aninsulating plug l0 and the sleeve extends above the upper end of theinsulating plug as illustrated.

The insulating plug 10 is provided with a center contact ii having athreaded stand i2 extending through the insulating plug and provided atits lower end with a terminal l3 to which an electrical conductor M maybe secured. The shell contact 9 is provided with a downwardly extendingterminal l5 to which conductor i6 may be attached. These terminals aresuitably insulated and enclosed by means of a cap 8a threaded on theinsulating shell 8.

The switch is provided with an upwardly extending plunger H, the lowerend being threaded and having an insulating member l8 attached thereto.Spring contact members l9 are secured to the insulating member l8 bymeans of a contactor screw 20 and the upper ends of these spring membersare in frictional contact with the shell. This contactor screw 20 isarranged to complete the electrical connection between the shell 8 andthe center contact 9 when the plunger is in the lowered positionillustrated in Fig. 2. It will be apparent that by raising the plunger Hthe electrical connection between the shell and center contact will bebroken.

The plunger I! may be connected to the telephone hook in any suitablemanner, for instance. such as illustrated in Fig. l, in which a sheetmetal arm 2| may be clamped or otherwise secured to the hook 3 betweenthe receiver and the column 2, and the plunger I! may be threadedtherein and secured by means 01 a nut 22. A preferred method of couplingthe switch plunger to the receiver hook is illustrated in Fig. 8 whereinthe hook 3 is engaged in a slot Ila in the plunger.

The switch 5 is also positioned under the hook 3 so that when thereceiver is on the hook, the

plunger ill and associated friction contacts 68 to the positionillustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the circuit will be broken. Itwill be appar cut that when the receiver is replaced on the hook thecircuit will again be closed.

The opposite ends of the conductors it and it forming the extension cordare secured to the terminals of a combined connector and receptacle tilas illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. This connector comprises a base ithaving the usual connector blades 26 and 26 mounted thereon. Receptaclecontacts 2? and w of the usual type are provided and the contact it isinsulated from the connector blade and is provided with a suitableterminal to which the conductor id is electrically connected. Receptaclecontact it is electrically connected to the connector blade 26, asillustrated.

The electrical control circuit for controlling the usual radio set bymeans of the telephone receiver is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig.5, and it will be apparent that when the combined receptacle andconnector 28 is inserted in the usual manner in the ordinary electricaloutlet of a power circuit, and a connector cap it on the extension cordof-a, radio set it is plugged into the receptacle 23, the radio may beoperated from the power line in the usual manner.

The control switch 6 is preferably in series in the power line.Therefore, whenever the receiver 4 is lifted from the telephone hook,the power line will be broken and will be automatically connected tocontinue the operation oi the radio when the receiver is replaced on thehoolr.

Fig. 6 illustrates the application of the device to a so-called cradletelephone and in this application a sheet metal bracket 3! may beprovided with depending ears 82 which are clamped to the movable support33 on which the receiver normally rests and which corresponds in iunc=tion to the usual telephone hook. The plunger i l of the switch 5 may beconnected to the bracket ii in the same manner as previously describedin connection with Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 illustrates a method of removably attaching the switch to a boxtelephone or to any other type of telephone presenting a surface capableof receiving and supporting a so-called vacuum cup. In this embodimentthe switch t is provided with a clamp or supporting bracket it having anarm. 85 to which is attached a vacuum cup it. The cup is preferably ofrubber and the switch may be easily attached by merely pressing the cupagainst a suitable surface on the telephone below the hoolr t3.

While the invention has been described in connection with a radio set,it will be apparent that it is adaptable for controlling various types-Modiflcations may be made to adapt the inven- I tion to the variousrequirements, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It istherefore desired that the invention be limited only by the prior artand the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

i. In a circuit control unit an extension cord comprising a pair ofconductors having a combined connector and receptacle at one end, saidconnector comprising a base having a plug-in contact and a receptaclecontact electrically connected in series, a second plug-in contact and asecond receptacle contact in said base and insulated from each other, aswitch connected in series between said second contacts by means oi.said conductors, and means for mounting said switch on a telephone incooperative relation with the usual receiver support, said switch beingconstructed and arranged to be opened and closed by the normal operationof said receiver support.

2. A control extension cord unit for electrically operated devices,comprising a combined plug-in and receptacle base having two receptacleterminals therein and two plug-in terminals extending therefrom, one ofsaid receptacle terminals and one of said plug-in terminals beingconnected together to form a continuous conductor through said base, theother receptacle terminal and plugin. terminal being insulated from eachother in said base and electrically connected in series by an elongatedextension cord conductor extending therefrom, a switch at the oppositeend of said conductor and in series with said lastmentioned terminals,and means associated with said switch for mounting said switch on atelephone adjacent the receiver support whereby said switch isautomatically controlled by said support to open said switch when thetelephone receiver is removed from said support and to close said switchwhen said receiver is returned to said support.

WILLIAM BQGUE.

